Belt conveyor

Abstract

A belt conveyor comprising an endless conveyor belt driven by a drive and having an upper and a lower part, the conveyor belt being provided near at least one edge with a detaining assembly which engages a guide and which are locked by this guide against displacement in the direction away from the guide. According to the invention the detaining assembly is in engagement with guide discs which are rotatably supported adjacent the conveyor belt and which forms the guide, while the drive engages the detaining assembly and drive the conveyor belt through the detaining assembly.

I claim: 
     
       1. A conveyor belt assembly comprising: an endless conveyor belt having an upper and a lower run, said conveyor belt being provided near at least one edge with an endless protrusion on the face of the conveyor belt opposite to the bearing surface thereof and following the conveyor belt in its longitudinal direction, said protrusion being in engagement with a plurality of guide discs which are rotatably supported adjacent the conveyor belt, at least one guide disc coupled with drive means through a drive shaft, said driven guide disc being displaceable in the transverse direction of the conveyor belt and pressing against the protrusion under the influence of a spring, counter-disc means being aligned with the driven guide disc and engaging the protrusion on a side remote from said guide disc, said counter-disc being mounted for free rotation on said drive shaft of the co-operating driven guide disc and bearing against a shoulder on said drive shaft, the endless conveyor belt being guided along stationary end guide members during its passage from the upper run to the lower run and vice versa. 
     
     
       2. A conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the end guide members are cylindrical in cross-section. 
     
     
       3. A conveyor belt assembly according to claim 1, wherein: the upper and the lower belt runs are parallel to each other, while the guide discs simultaneously engage the protrusion underneath the upper run and on the lower run of the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       4. A belt conveyor according to claim 1, wherein: a stationary guide frame is arranged between the upper run and the lower run of the conveyor belt, said stationary guide frame comprising an upper supporting plate, extending under the upper run of the conveyor belt, and a lower plate, located above the lower run of the conveyor belt, a support being fixed between the upper supporting plate and the lower plate at the respective ends near the end guide members and being adjustably connected by means of bolts to said respective guide member, said stationary guide frame being further defined by an upright lateral bearing plate fastened to at least one of said supporting plates and on which the guide discs are rotatably supported, at least one upper pressure roller disposed to act from the upper side the upper run of the conveyor belt in the area of the edge zone provided with the protrusion, at least one lower pressure roller engaging from the underside the lower run of the conveyor belt in the area of the edge zone provided with the protrusion, the axes of rotation of the upper pressure roller, of the lower pressure roller and of the driven guide disc extending in a plane substantially perpendicular to the upper and lower runs of the conveyor belt, and the upper and lower pressure rollers being coupled with the drive means driven in a direction opposite to that of the driven guide disc. 
     
     
       5. A conveyor belt assembly employing an endless conveyor belt having an upper and a lower run, wherein: said conveyor belt is provided near at least one edge, with an endless flexible rack on the face of the conveyor belt opposite to the bearing surface thereof and following the conveyor belt in its longitudinal direction, and drive means comprising at least one driven gear wheel meshing with the flexible rack, said flexible rack being guided by a plurality of guide discs that are rotatably supported adjacent the conveyor belt, said conveyor belt further being guided along stationary end guide members during its passage from the upper run to the lower run and vice versa, a stationary guide frame is arranged between the upper run and the lower run of the conveyor belt, said stationary guide frame comprising an upper supporting plate, extending under the upper run of the conveyor belt, and a lower plate disposed above the lower run of the conveyor belt, support means fixed between the upper supporting plate and the lower plate at the ends located near the end guide members and being adjustably connected to the end guide member located thereat, said stationary guide frame being further deferred by an upright lateral bearing plate fastened to at least one of said supporting plates and on which the guide discs are rotatably supported, a stationary U-shaped retaining section extending along at least the greater part of the conveyor belt on at least one side, and upper and lower retaining flange means respectively disposed at the edge zone of the upper run and the edge zone of the lower run of the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       6. A conveyor belt assembly according to claim 5, wherein: said end guide members are cylindrical in cross-section. 
     
     
       7. A conveyor belt assembly according to claim 5, wherein: the upper and lower belt runs are parallel to each other, and the guide discs simultaneously engage the flexible rack underneath the upper run and on the lower run of the conveyor belt. 
     
     
       8. A conveyor belt assembly according to claim 5, wherein: the upper and lower belt runs are parallel to each other, and the driven gear wheel meshes simultaneously with the flexible rack underneath the upper run and on the lower run of the conveyor belt.